I nod, giving a weak smile, but Ross looks like they want to punch it off my face.

“Because, you know.” I dart my eyes over to Kavya for help, but she loves awkward moments. She just crosses her arms over her chest right back, nonchalantly waving one hand as if to say Go on. “You love the ocean. It’s sort of a thank-you, for, like, being the inspiration for my win yesterday? I needed that boost. You’re doing great as the whole costar to my Win Dominic Back thing.” And if this reminds us both that they’re going back into the ocean in a couple weeks, all the better.

Ross grabs my elbow. If this was yesterday, their touch would have sent sparks throughout my body, but now that’s noticeably absent. It’s more like heat comes off their hand. A fiery, angry heat.

“A thank-you? Are you out of your flicking mind?” Ross lowers their voice to a whisper—more like a whisper shout, really—even though there’s no one who could possibly hear us. “You want me to go to the one place I absolutely cannot set foot in or else this whole Journey will end and I’ll be stuck as a human forever? You know that’s the last thing in the Blue I want to have happen, right?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“Then why would you bring me here?”

They’re so worked up that they literally stomp their foot.

“Hey.” I try to sound soothing, but I’m doubting myself too much. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Can you just—” I motion toward the boat where Avani waits. Ross follows my gaze right as she cranks the key, turning it on with a loud roar. I cringe, not wanting the very mechanical sound to turn Ross off from this adventure even more. “Just trust me, okay? I promise this isn’t some sort of setup. Actually, I think I might have found a loophole. You’ll only be forced to stay human if the ocean gets you wet, right?”

Ross hesitates, then: “Right.”

“But nothing says you can’t be on top of the ocean?”

“No.” Their eyes widen just a bit.

“So . . . do you get where I’m going with this?”

“I can be near the Blue without ever having to go in it,” they whisper.

“Exactly.”

“Plus, Mummy came fully prepared,” Kavya adds. “There’s a parka in there so thick you wouldn’t even get wet in a hurricane. She’s married to a former mer, remember? She knows how your Journey works.” Kavya turns toward the boat and shouts, “Mummy! Show them the suit!”

Avani pops open a seat on the boat and pulls out a bright yellow plastic parka with a matching hat. It has way more zippers than I can count, which has got to mean that thing will be sealed up like nobody’s business.